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 Sustainability Strategy Commitments
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UKOOA Sustainability Strategy 2002 - First Report
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3. Protecting the Environment
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3.1 Environmental management
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Commitment No. 39 - Biodiversity and environmentally sensitive areas
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Oil and Gas reserves are sometimes found in areas of particular environmental sensitivity and the industry may conclude that some discoveries cannot be developed. Where development can be carried out in an environmentally responsible way, Government and UKOOA operational guidelines are followed. Our industry is committed to developing and improving the technologies and processes to ensure environmentally responsible exploration and production.
UKOOA has provided its members with guidance on working in sensitive areas for some years. It has cooperated with the Government in establishing the new Environmental Assessment regime and in extending application of the European Union Habitats Directive ahead of other users of the sea. The industry has carried out extensive environmental surveys in sensitive areas. For example, it has assisted local authorities to draw up protection plans for the north Scottish coast and Western Isles. Industry surveys are recognised as a major source of information about the marine environment generally and sensitive areas in particular.
We are committed to two actions in recognition of the importance of environmentally sensitive areas:
- We will meet with non-governmental and academic stakeholders to understand, and where possible assist with their research needs so that surveys carried out meet our joint data requirements. A workshop will be held with stakeholders during 2001 to determine research priorities.
- We will maximise access to reliable industry research data pertinent to environmentally sensitive areas.
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Progress to date : achievements and difficulties encountered
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Both these commitments have been addressed:
1. A meeting of interested parties was held in London in June 2001 to help identify the research and development priorities for the offshore oil and gas industry. (See Commitment No.42, which reports on the priorities identified). This well attended event included representatives from industry, Government, NGOs and academia. The meeting identified a number of priorities and subsequent discussions with DTI have established a workgroup to take the issues forward. This group meets under the aegis of the Offshore Forum (Government-Industry-NGOs). Many of the issues identified at the R&D priorities meeting have a broader relevance beyond oil and gas activity, particularly those related to the protection of species and habitats. It will be important to discuss with others working in these areas how these issues and others such as Biodiversity Action Plan commitments might be taken forward.
2. Biodiversity data gathering forms part of an ongoing programme by UKOOA's member companies, either directly through their own R&D programmes or in joint industry projects. This data is either baseline data before operations start or monitoring data during operations. It is made publicly available as it comes to hand. UKOOA will be supporting the DTI Strategic Environment Assessment of the whole UKCS (planned for completion in 2006) which is being pursued as part of the UK response to the EU Habitats Directive.
One area of the UKCS, which has been a focus for studies, has been the Atlantic Margin - the area to the north and west of Scotland which in the early 1990s came under the spotlight following significant oil discoveries and increasing interest in deep water fish resources. AFEN (The Atlantic Frontier Environmental Network) is made up of oil companies with licences in the area and government departments and their advisors. In 2001 AFEN published 'The UK Atlantic Margin Environment; towards a better understanding' which reports the extensive results of the studies commissioned (see box for some highlights). These results have been discussed with AFEF (The Atlantic Frontier Environmental Forum), which brings together all interested parties and were presented during a two-day conference held in Edinburgh in December 2001.
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BOX: Biodiversity and the Atlantic Margin
The studies commissioned by AFEN have led to a number of discoveries and changed perspectives on the biodiversity of the region and relative importance of the area for some species.
The Atlantic Margin has a varied seafloor topography and complex oceanography, which is reflected in the rich and diverse marine ecosystem. All aspects of this system are intimately linked on local, regional and global scales. For example the occurrence of large sponge is influenced by seabed topography and water current interactions which result in enhanced food supply.
The comprehensive mapping of the seabed has led to a wider appreciation of its broadscale topography and features. The newly discovered Darwin mounds are of considerable geological and conservation interest. Although previously conjectured to occur in the area, the AFEN surveys showed that large cold-water coral reefs are absent. The seabed fauna was found to have a high biodiversity with a large number of previously undiscovered species many of which are now being studied further.
Some important findings relate to cetaceans. Few blue whales have been identified visually since the days of commercial whaling and acoustic recordings show they are still rare. Humpback whales, which were thought to only migrate through the area, are now known to be present for most of the year.
The area has a long history of industrial and military activity. Chemical analysis of seabed sediments and samples collected from adjacent shores indicate the existing levels of contamination are very low, and the few traces of oil found on beaches have not been a direct consequence of the exploration and production activities taking place in the area.
From The UK Atlantic Margin Environment; towards a better understanding, AFEN 2001
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Website References
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Sustainability Strategy Commitments
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